STARS SHINE | Couples heat up stage in support of Hospice at Dancing with the Vernon Stars [A5]
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Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2013
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Hadfield honours space pioneer Morning Star Staff
A Canadian space pioneer whose contributions have helped thousands of Okanagan youth explore the great beyond was celebrated in style Saturday. Local dignitaries, family members, volunteers, and some very special guests gathered at the Okanagan Science Centre Saturday to celebrate the career and 90th birthday of Bruce Aikenhead, a Canadian space pioneer. The private event was the culmination of a Community Memories project grant awarded to the Science Centre by the government of Canada to capture and digitize Aikenhead’s life story, career, and reflections for the online Virtual Museum of Canada. Aikenhead, a professional engineer, was involved in many ground-breaking projects in aviation and space flight, including the Avro Arrow, Project Mercury (NASA’s first human space flight program), the Canadarm, and
training Canada’s first astronauts. “After retiring to Salmon Arm, Aikenhead spearheaded the science centre’s Space for Space galleries, and designed the Planetarium, which remains one of the Centre’s most popular programs,” said Sandi Dixon, OSC executive director. Aikenhead was introduced by MP Colin Mayes, representing the federal Canadian Heritage department, Mayor Rob Sawatzky, and Canadian astronaut Commander Chris Hadfield, who met Aikenhead on his first day at the Canadian Space Agency after being selected in 1992. “Hadfield reviewed highlights of Aikenhead’s career and noted that it was the work of Aikenhead and his colleagues that enabled him to become the first Canadian to command a spaceship,” said Dixon. “Hadfield also commended Aikenhead’s work for the Okanagan Science Centre after recounting an experience at his own local science centre as a nine-year-old boy that
LISA VANDERVELDE/MORNING STAR
Canadian astronaut Commander Chris Hadfield checks out his life-size poster with six-year-old Nicholas Brander at the Okanagan Science Centre Saturday, where Hadfield helped celebrate the 90th birthday of Canadian space pioneer Bruce Aikenhead. inspired him to pursue being an astronaut.” The Virtual Museum exhib-
it ‘Bruce Aikenhead: A Canadian Space Pioneer’ will be available to view online at www.virtualmuse-
um.ca pending publication later this month, and at a permanent kiosk at the OSC.
Drivers injured in head-on accident
JENNIFER SMITH/MORNING STAR
A two-vehicle accident on Highway 97 Monday morning, between Bailey Road and Crystal Waters Road near Lake Country, sent two Vernon residents to hospital. For a video of the accident visit www.vernonmorningstar.com
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A two-vehicle crash that closed Highway 97 south of Vernon for a time Monday morning sent both drivers to hospital. Shortly after 8:30 a.m., officers responded to a two-vehicle accident south of Bailey Road. “Two single-occupant vehicles collided head-on,” said Cpl. Gerry Kovacs with the Vernon RCMP. The driver of one of the vehicles is a 38-year-old Vernon woman who was taken to Kelowna General Hospital and was listed Tuesday morning in critical condition. The driver of the other vehicle is a 20-year-old Vernon man who was taken to Vernon Jubilee Hospital for treatment
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of non-life-threatening injuries. The accident involved a PT Cruiser and a Mazda. Highway 97 was closed in both directions for a couple of hours. The cause of the accident is unknown and an RCMP collision analyst was called to assist North Okanagan Traffic Services with the ongoing investigation. “Police are still speaking with witnesses, and remain active in this investigation,” said Kovacs. Traffic services investigators are asking anyone who has not spoken with police and witnessed the accident or driving behaviour of either vehicle prior to the accident to contact the Vernon detachment at 250-5457171.
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Morning Star Staff
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